Foundation unit

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a foundation unit for supporting a structure, the foundation unit provided in a plurality of parts, arranged to be coupled together before use, wherein the foundation unit is arranged to be at least partially buried in, and to receive, material.

FIELD

The present invention relates generally to a foundation unit, and inparticular to a foundation unit for supporting a unit. Morespecifically, the present invention relates to foundation units for usein or near railway lines, where access may be difficult.

BACKGROUND

Trackside cabinets installed at the side of a railway are used to housea range of sensitive equipment performing a wide range of operationsincluding track/platform control, train monitoring, power distribution,safety and signalling. According to the prior art, installing suchcabinets typically involves digging a hole in the ground, filling thehole with concrete to form a foundation on which the cabinet can bemounted, and drilling holes in the foundation to install the cabinet.

However, such an installation process is expensive due to the amount ofmanpower and materials required. Transporting the material to the sideof the railway can often be difficult due to remoteness of the locationsat which trackside cabinets are to be installed. Sometimes, access viarail transport is the only viable option. The operation is thereforetypically performed at night, when railway traffic is minimal.

It is an aim of example embodiments to at least partially overcome oravoid one or more disadvantages of the prior art, described above orelsewhere, or to provide an at least partially improved or even analternative system to those already in existence.

SUMMARY

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus andmethod as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of theinvention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and thedescription which follows.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a foundationunit for supporting a structure, the foundation unit provided in aplurality of parts, arranged to be coupled together before use, whereinthe foundation unit is arranged to be at least partially buried in, andto receive, material. Thus, a stable and easy to install foundation unitcan be provided.

The foundation unit may comprise a base arranged to receive thematerial. Thus, by filling the base with material, stability of thefoundation unit can be improved.

The base may comprise a plurality of drainage holes arranged to, in use,drain fluid from the foundation unit. Thus, excess fluid can be drainedfrom the foundation unit, preventing damage to the foundation.

The foundation unit may comprise a plurality of support pillarsextending substantially vertically from the base, wherein the pluralityof support pillars are arranged to, in use, extend above the material inwhich the foundation unit is buried. Thus, a stable foundation uponwhich the structure can sit can be provided.

The plurality of support units may each comprise a screw hole, such thateach of the plurality of support pillars is arranged to receive afastener for attaching the structure to the foundation unit. Thus, thestructure can be securely mounted to the foundation unit.

The plurality of support pillars may each further comprise a threadedmetal plate. Thus, the bolt for attaching the structure can securely sitinside the support pillar, as the risk of damaging the foundation unitwhile mounting the structure is minimised, and the risk of theconnection between the support pillars and the foundation unitdeteriorating over time is reduced.

The foundation unit may further comprise a plurality of generallyupright walls arranged at a circumference of the base. Thus, thematerial filling the base is retained securely within the base.

The plurality of walls may be each provided with a plurality ofreinforcing ribs. Thus, the strength of the foundation unit can beimproved while minimising the amount of material used for manufacturingthe foundation unit when compared to, for example, manufacturing thefoundation unit with thick, solid walls. The reinforcing ribs canenhance the rigidity of the foundation unit and ensure that thefoundation unit engages better with the ground in which it is buried.

The plurality of walls may be further provided with means for carryingthe unit. Thus, the foundation unit can be handled, or picked up, by asingle person.

The foundation unit may be formed from a plastics material in ablow-moulding process, or an injection moulding process. By use of aplastics material, the weight of the foundation unit is kept at a levelwhere it can be carried by a single person, greatly easing work with thefoundation units on-site.

Each of the plurality of parts of the foundation unit may besubstantially identical. Thus, only one mould can be required formanufacturing the foundation unit, improving the ease of manufacture.

Each of the plurality of parts of the foundation unit may comprise atleast one coupling projection and at least one complementary couplingreceiver such that the plurality of parts of the foundation unit can becoupled to form the foundation unit. Thus, the foundation unit can beeasily assembled, and the parts of the foundation unit can be easilysecured to one another. Further, this enables a smaller mould to be usedin the manufacturing process, which is cost-effective and also assistsin transportation of the completed product.

The plurality of parts of the foundation unit may be releasablycouplable. Thus, the foundation unit can be easily disassembled ifnecessary, with minimal tools used.

The foundation unit may comprise at least one extension unit couplablebetween the plurality of parts of the foundation unit. Thus, the size ofthe foundation unit can be easily increased such as to provide optimalsupport for structures of different sizes.

According to another exemplary embodiment, provided is a method ofassembling the foundation unit as described herein. Thus, a stable andeasy-to-install foundation unit can be provided.

Although a few example embodiments of the present invention have beenshown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the artthat various changes and modifications might be made without departingfrom the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

INTRODUCTION TO THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodimentsof the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, byway of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a foundation unit according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 2 shows a top plan view of a foundation unit according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 3 shows an underside view of a foundation unit according to anexample embodiment;

FIG. 4 shows a side view of a foundation unit according to an exampleembodiment;

FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of a part of a foundation unit accordingto an example embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an extension unit of a foundationunit according to an example embodiment;

FIG. 7 shows a top plan view of a part of a foundation unit according toan example embodiment;

FIG. 8 depicts steps in a method according to an example embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIG. 1, a foundation unit is denoted as a whole by thereference numeral 1.

The foundation unit 1 is provided in a plurality of parts 10. The parts10 are the basic units which form the foundation unit 1, and aresubstantially identical.

The foundation unit 1 comprises a base 15 defined by a plurality ofgenerally upright walls arranged at a circumference of the base 15 suchthat the foundation unit 1 is arranged to be at least partially buriedin, and to receive, material. That is, to install the foundation unit 1at a site, a small hole is dug in the ground to accommodate thefoundation unit 1. The foundation unit 1 is placed in said hole and thenmaterial is inserted into the foundation unit. The base 15 and theplurality of walls arranged at the circumference thereof define thestructure which receives the material. Upon placing the foundation unit1 in the hole, the walls arranged at a circumference of the base 15 arenot visible.

In use, the base 15 is arranged flush to the surface. The materialreceived by the base 15 can be, but is not limited to, soil, gravel orhardcore. The material serves to provide stability to the foundationunit. The upper surface 12 defines the height of material received bythe foundation unit 1. Advantageously, the use of concrete is notrequired, and thus the foundation unit 1 is easy to install even inremote locations such as alongside a rail track, since no or littlespecialised or bulky equipment is required.

The base 15 comprises a plurality of draining holes 16 arranged to, inuse, drain fluid from the foundation unit. Thus, any water which doesenter the foundation unit 1 can drain away through the base 15 of thefoundation unit 1, and the damage to the foundation caused by excessfluid can be reduced and the stability of the foundation unit 1 can beimproved.

The foundation unit 1 comprises a plurality of support pillars 11extending vertically from the base 15. The support pillars 11 arearranged to, in use, extend above the material in which the foundationunit 1 is buried. FIG. 4, which shows a side view of the foundation unit1, illustrates that the support pillars 11 extend higher from the base15 than the walls surrounding the base 15.

The support pillars 11 are arranged to support a structure mounted ontothe foundation unit 1. That is, in use, the support pillars 11 directlycontact the structure mounted onto the foundation unit 1. The structuremounted onto the foundation unit 1 can be, for example, a tracksidecabinet or a rail location case for housing telecom and signallingequipment and switchgear. Typically, installing a trackside cabinetinvolves digging a hole in the ground, filling the hole with concrete toform a foundation on which the cabinet can be mounted, and drillingholes in the foundation to install the cabinet. As concrete is notrequired in order to support stability to the foundation unit 1, thefoundation unit 1 is especially suitable for installing tracksidecabinets.

The foundation unit 1 comprises a plurality of reinforcing ribs 13located at an external side of the plurality of generally upright wallsarranged at the circumference of the base 15. The reinforcing ribs 13improve the strength of the foundation unit 1 while minimising theamount of material used for manufacturing the foundation unit 1 whencompared to, for example, manufacturing the foundation unit 1 havingthick, solid walls. As well as providing additional rigidity, the ribs13 assist in anchoring the foundation unit 1 in the ground, when it isinstalled in a scenario where it is at least partially buried in eitherearth, gravel or hardcore. Thus, the strength of the foundation unit canbe improved while minimising the amount of material used formanufacturing the foundation unit when compared to, for example,manufacturing the foundation unit with thick, solid walls. Thereinforcing ribs can enhance the rigidity of the foundation unit andensure that the foundation unit engages better with the ground in whichit is buried.

The foundation unit 1 comprises gripping means 14 for carrying the unit.Ideally, the foundation unit 1 may be carried by a single person,greatly easing work with the units on-site. The gripping means 14 areformed by providing a recess in the plurality of generally upright wallslocated at the circumference of the base 15 of the foundation unit 1.Thus, the foundation unit 1 does not require an appended handle forcarrying the unit.

The foundation unit 1 is formed from a plastics material using ablow-moulding process, or an injection moulding process. As the parts 10which form the foundation unit 1 are substantially identical, only onemould is required for production of the foundation unit. Furthermore,the parts 10 can be easily stacked on top of one another, reducing theamount of space required to store a plurality of unassembled foundationunits 1.

Referring to FIG. 2, the support pillars 11 comprise a plurality ofscrew holes 20, such that the support pillars 11 are arranged to receivea bolt for attaching the structure to the foundation unit 1, therebysecuring the structure in place. Such bolts can be, for example, M16bolts; however, the skilled person will appreciate that any suitablefastener can be used for securing the structure. Thus, the supportpillars 11 further comprise a threaded metal plate for securelyattaching the structure to the support pillars 11, as plastics materialsare more prone to cracking than metal. This ensures that the foundationunit 1 is not damaged while the structure is mounted onto the supportpillars 11.

As shown in FIG. 5, at an edge of part 10 of the foundation unit 1located are at least one coupling projection 21 and at least onecomplementary coupling receiver 22 such that the plurality of parts 10can be coupled to form the foundation unit 1. Coupling projection 21 maybe considered as a male part and coupling receiver 22 can be consideredas a female part. As such, the parts 10 may only be joined in oneorientation, male to female.

The male 21 and female 22 parts interconnect snugly; however, decouplingis possible. In order to decouple the parts 10, a tool (such as ascrewdriver) can be inserted into a recess located above the couplingreceiver 22, releasing the male part from the female part.

In order to accommodate various sizes of the structures intended to besupported by the foundation unit 1, extension units can be used. FIG. 6depicts such an extension unit. The extension unit 30 may be consideredto be a bridging piece, connected between the plurality of parts 10.Similar to the parts 10, the extension unit 30 comprises at least onecorresponding coupling projection 21 and at least one complementarycoupling receiver 22 such that the extension unit 30 can be connectedbetween the plurality of parts 10, thereby increasing the size of thefoundation unit 1. The extension unit 30 comprises at least one supportpillar 11 to aid in supporting the structure mounted onto the foundationunit 1.

FIG. 8 describes a method of assembling the foundation unit, such asthat described above. The method comprises assembling the foundationunit, such as that described above, S100.

Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filedconcurrently with or previous to this specification in connection withthis application and which are open to public inspection with thisspecification, and the contents of all such papers and documents areincorporated herein by reference.

All of the features described in this specification (including anyaccompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps ofany method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination,except combination where t least some of such features and/or steps aremutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanyingclaims, abstract and drawings) may be replaced by alternative featuresserving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly statedotherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each featuredisclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent orsimilar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoingembodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novelcombination, of the features disclosed in this specification (includingany accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, orany novel combination, of the steps of any method or process sodisclosed.

1. A foundation unit for supporting a structure, the foundation unitprovided in a plurality of parts, arranged to be coupled together beforeuse, wherein the foundation unit is arranged to be at least partiallyburied in, and to receive, material.
 2. The foundation unit according toclaim 1, wherein the foundation unit comprises a base arranged toreceive the material.
 3. The foundation unit according to claim 2,wherein the base comprises a plurality of drainage holes arranged to, inuse, drain fluid from the foundation unit.
 4. The foundation unitaccording to claim 2, comprising a plurality of support pillarsextending substantially vertically from the base, wherein the pluralityof support pillars are arranged to, in use, extend above the material inwhich the foundation unit is buried.
 5. The foundation unit according toclaim 4, wherein the plurality of support pillars each comprise a screwhole, such that each of the plurality of support pillars is arranged toreceive a fastener for attaching the structure to the foundation unit.6. The foundation unit according to claim 5, wherein the plurality ofsupport pillars each further comprise a threaded metal plate.
 7. Thefoundation unit according to claim 2, wherein the foundation unitfurther comprises a plurality of generally upright walls arranged at acircumference of the base.
 8. The foundation unit according to claim 7,wherein the plurality of walls are each provided with a plurality ofreinforcing ribs.
 9. The foundation unit according to claim 7, whereinthe plurality of walls are further provided with gripping means forcarrying the unit.
 10. The foundation unit according to claim 1, whereinthe foundation unit is formed from a plastics material in ablow-moulding process, or an injection moulding process.
 11. Thefoundation unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality ofparts of the foundation unit is substantially identical.
 12. Thefoundation unit according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality ofparts of the foundation unit comprises at least one coupling projectionand at least one complementary coupling receiver such that the pluralityof parts of the foundation unit can be coupled to form the foundationunit.
 13. The foundation unit according to claim 12, wherein theplurality of parts of the foundation unit is releasably couplable. 14.The foundation unit according to claim 1, further comprising at leastone extension unit couplable between the plurality of parts of thefoundation unit.
 15. A method of assembling the foundation unitaccording to claim 1.